Prosecutor says case will serve as warning in war on drugs

Jan. 11, 2014

Kenneth Staunton

TOMS RIVER — Kenneth Staunton is a father of three, a convicted criminal and an admitted drug addict.

On Friday, he also was made an example for Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato to hold up as he fights a heroin and opiate crisis in the county.

Staunton was sentenced by state Superior Court Judge James M. Blaney to 7½ years in state prison for his role in the heroin overdose death of Raymond Farino, an acquaintance and nearby resident of the Forked River of Lacey. Staunton pleaded guilty last month to charges of manslaughter and heroin possession, which Coronato had brought against him by using a rarely used “strict liability” statute. Staunton must serve 85 percent of the manslaughter charge, or six years and four months, before he is eligible for parole.

Watch the video above to see some of the sentencing.

Prosecutor’s say Staunton, 33, sold wax folds of heroin to Farino, a 27-year-old addict who was in recovery. He died of an overdose on Jan. 16, 2013.

In the courtroom, Staunton, Farino’s family and attorneys clashed over Staunton’s image. They argued whether the defendant fully understood the consequences of dealing drugs and about the wisdom of putting Staunton away for so long.

Staunton teared up at times and said he was “truly sorry” for Farino’s death. He said he had known Farino for several years.

“I’m portrayed as this drug dealer. I don’t own a car, a house,” Staunton said. “I’m just — I don’t know. I didn’t intend for any of this.”

Prosecutor Patrick Sheehan disagreed. He pointed to Staunton’s criminal record — two stints in state prison for drug-related crimes — and said that Staunton’s excuse was typical of addicts.

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“They are engaged in extremely reckless behavior,” he said.

Sheehan also pointed out that Ocean County had an unprecedented number of drug overdose deaths in 2013 — 112, compared to 53 the year before, according to the Prosecutor’s Office — and Staunton was connected to two of them, he said. Besides his connection to Farino, Staunton had been dating a woman who died of a heroin overdose in October, he said.

Because of those factors, Sheehan said he wanted use Staunton as an example. The prosecutor’s office has since charged two other men connected to overdose deaths.

Staunton’s sentencing “should resound loudly throughout Ocean County our message to dealers: we’re looking for you,” Coronato said in a statement.

Staunton’s attorney, Edward G. Washburne, said that Coronato’s intention to take a tough stance on drug dealing was commendable, but that Staunton is not a drug kingpin or “predatory individual.”

“What Mr. Staunton did is what hundreds and thousands of people do, and it is a terrible and unfortunate and tragic thing,” he said. “This drug becomes better than your family, better than a relationship, better than love, better than anything. And it causes situations like this, where people’s lives are ended and people end up in jail.”

The prosecution sought eight years on the manslaughter charge. Farino’s family pushed for no quarter.

Liz Donohue, the grandmother of Farino’s son, portrayed Staunton as a pesky dealer who hindered Farino’s recovery. Farino, who battled heroin addiction on and off since he was a teenager, was in drug court and had been running errands the day he died.

“Raymond got a death sentence. Raymond’s parents got a life of misery without their son. Raymond’s 8-year-old son got a life sentence without his daddy,” Donohue said, legs and hands shaking. “Eight years is a small price to pay for a life.”

Blaney turned to Staunton, who wore a tan jumper and had his hands shackled in front of him, and told him that he appreciated his statement and apology.

“It’s not going to do much good,” Blaney said. He added, “You’re going to be spending a significant amount of time in jail.”

Blaney sentenced Staunton to 7 1/2 years for manslaughter and heroin possession. The judge said the defendant had to serve 85 percent of his sentence before parole, or about another five years when time served is factored in.

Raymond Farino’s mother, Marianne Farino,

said that “the whole year has been a blur” of “going, going, going, crying, crying crying.” She said after the sentencing that she was glad it was over, she had some closure and that she would go home, sit down and cry some more.